Losartan is unusual in that grapefruit decreases its effects, potentially limiting its ability to control blood pressure ( 7).Įplerenone works similarly to losartan, but its levels increase when taken with grapefruit. This resulted in a rapid drop in blood pressure, which could be dangerous if unsupervised ( 6). One study found blood levels of nifedipine increased dramatically when taken with about 2 cups (500 mL) of grapefruit juice, compared with no juice. The last two medications in this list work by decreasing the activity of a hormone called angiotensin 2, which naturally increases blood pressure. They work by changing the way your blood vessels use calcium, relaxing the vessels, and relieving blood pressure. The first two medications in this list are known as calcium channel blockers. However, the following four blood pressure medications should be used cautiously: Most types of blood pressure medicines are not affected by grapefruit. Grapefruit can increase the side effects of some statin cholesterol medications, causing muscle damage. One study showed that drinking a glass of grapefruit juice with simvastatin or lovastatin increased blood levels of these statins by 260% ( 5).Īlternatives: Pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and fluvastatin (Lescol) do not interact with grapefruit ( 1). Grapefruit increases the blood levels of three common statins substantially, increasing the risk of rhabdomyolysis ( 4): This leads to muscle weakness, pain, and occasionally kidney damage ( 3). ![]() Statins can cause rhabdomyolysis, or the breakdown of muscle tissue. This improves the profile of lipoproteins in the blood and decreases deaths from heart disease in patients at risk of it ( 2). Statins work by limiting the natural production of cholesterol. Some cholesterol medications called statins are affected by grapefruit. With that in mind, here is detailed information about 32 common medications that may interact with grapefruit, categorized by use. For a small number of drugs, grapefruit’s effects can be serious. Taking your medication a few hours apart from consuming it isn’t long enough. Grapefruit’s ability to affect medication lasts for 1–3 days. One whole grapefruit or one glass of grapefruit juice is enough to alter how these medications affect you. There are three things to know to understand if and how you can safely consume grapefruit with these medications. In fact, studies show that they increase the blood levels of over 85 medications ( 1).īy slowing the way in which CYPs normally break down medications in your gut and liver, grapefruit can increase the side effects of these drugs ( 1). ![]() Grapefruit and a few of its close relatives, such as Seville oranges, tangelos, pomelos, and Minneolas, contain a class of chemicals called furanocoumarins.įuranocoumarins disrupt the normal function of CYPs. The grapefruit on the other hand has a pith that is much more attached to the zest and its segments, similar to the orange than to the pomelo.Medications are processed in your liver and small intestine by a specialized group of proteins called cytochrome P450 (CYPs).ĬYPs break down medications, reducing the blood levels of many of them. When it comes to peeling the citrus fruits, the pomelo is easier to peel since the pith, or the white spongy layer between the zest and the segments, comes off easily. 3 The pomelo is easier to peel than the grapefruit. ![]() It’s much harder to determine from sight alone. The grapefruit commonly hints at the color of its flesh with the color of its rind while the pomelo will only reveal the color of its insides only once the peeled. The grapefruit is commonly yellow but does trespass into the orange and even reddish range. The pomelo is light-colored citrus with its rind ranging from light green to a bright yellow in color. The grapefruit has a yellow to orange rind. 2 The pomelo has a light green to yellow rind. You’ll see that the much smaller grapefruit doesn’t have the same problem. ![]() This is mainly because the pomelo is so heavy, the shape of the fruit is affected by gravity. In comparison, if the pomelo is large, the grapefruit is medium in size and is more similar in size to an Asian pear. It’s around 4 to 6 inches or 10 to 15 cm in diameter and can weigh less than one-fourth of the pomelo, between 200 to 300 grams each.Īpart from size, you might also notice that the pomelo commonly has a pointed end where the stem is located. The grapefruit is a big citrus alright compared to other citrus fruits, but not to the pomelo.
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